Albany Academy guns down potential game-tying run in sixth inning to clinch victory

It did prevent Mechanicville’s baseball team from rallying back to tie their Colonial Council contest, though.

Albany Academy center fielder Eric Woods threw out Mechanicville’s Noah Harpe, the potential game-tying run, at the plate to preserve a one-run lead in the bottom of the sixth inning and help the visitors to a 5-4 win.

“The kid came up with a great throw to home when we had a chance to tie the game,” said Mechanicville coach Tim Sheehan. “Nothing you can do about that. Another step and he’s there. Knowing we needed one-two runs, I had to take my chances.”

Mechanicville (4-6 Colonial Council, 5-8 overall) starting pitcher Nate Popiel pitched well enough to win but came up short in part because of four errors. The senior allowed three earned runs on seven hits, with 13 strikeouts and three walks.

“When I get in a groove, when I get comfortable, I don’t really listen to anybody — I just tune everything out,” said Popiel, who got eight straight outs at one point. “I want to have a struggle in the beginning, work it out in the middle then finish strong.”

Carter Knapek picked up the win for Albany Academy (7-2, 8-2) after allowing four runs on seven hits in 6 innings of work.

The Cadets jumped out to an early lead 2-0 lead and held it the entire game. However, the hosts did have several chances to tie it late.

Nico Dumas led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and advanced to third after a steal and wild pitch. Noah Harpe would have struck out to end the inning but beat out a throw to first on a third-strike passed ball to allow Dumas to score from third. C.J. Tironi and Connor Hunsinger followed with singles, but the inning ended with Harpe being thrown out at the plate by Woods.

“Eric is a super kid, super athlete,” Cadets coach David Rider said. “I was surprised as anybody to see him make that throw but that turned out to be the most important play of the game.”

Albany Academy tacked on a run in the top of the seventh inning to make it 5-3, but still needed three more outs to clinch the victory. It turned out to be much harder than veteran Cadets coach David Rider would have liked.

Pinch hitter Eamonn Higgins led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and Jacob Henes followed with a walk to put the tying run on base. After a fielder’s choice put runners on the corners with one out, Dumas hit an RBI groundout to pull Mechanicville within one. Dumas slid under a tag to steal second base and putt the game tying run in scoring position, but relief pitcher Trevor Francesconi got Popiel to fly out to right to end the game.

Hunsinger and Dumas both finished 2-for-4 for the hosts, while Sean Dempsey went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead the visitors’ offense.